
Qass_ 



Book. 



/ 

THE BOOK OF WEALTH; 



IN WHICH 



IT IS PROVED FROM 

THE BIBLE, 

THAT IT IS THE DUTY 

OF 

EVERY MAN, 

TO 

IB IB (0 ® EG IE 3BnOUIo 



THOMAS P. HUNT. 



new-york: 

EZRA COLLIER, 148 NASSAU-STREET, 

1836. 



^nl< <§|_ tU* 






Entered according to the act of Congress, in the year 1836, by 
EZRA COLLIER, 

in the Clerk's Office, in the District Court, of the Southern 
District of New- York. 



*7ff 



MAHLON DAY, PRINTER. 



To Messrs. 

SAMUEL WARD, 

AND 

JOHN W. LEAVITT, 

Of the City of New- York, 

Through whose confidence and generosity, the 
Author has been enabled, during the past year, 
to devote himself to the advancement of that cause 
which is dear to them and to him; this little 
work is affectionately dedicated. 
New-York, 1836. 



BOOK OF WEALTH 



The main design of this work is, to prove 
that it is the duty of all men, as the general 
rule, to become rich. That riches are bless- 
ings, which may promote our present and 
eternal welfare. And, therefore, men ought 
to procure them, and may lawfully enjoy 
them. 

There are many who speak of riches, and 
their uses, in a way injurious to the truth. 
Indeed, very few are able to enforce their 
doctrine by their practice, who speak of 
riches as of that which is not really valuable. 
For all who live need the things of this life, 
which cannot be obtained without property, 
or its equivalent. 



U BOOK OF WEALTH. 

The desire to possess more property than 
is sufficient for our maintenance, is almost 
universal. It may be said to be a law of 
our nature. And it is so, for very wise and 
benevolent purposes. From this common 
desire, may it not be presumed that it is a 
duty to be rich ?. One thing is certain ; no 
man can be obedient to God's will as re- 
vealed in the Bible, without, as the general 
result, becoming wealthy. 

1. It is the duty of all men to be diligent. 
The command, " Six days shalt thou labor," 
is as positive, as, " On the seventh day thou 
shalt do no work." Neither is optional. 
Both are imperative. We must work, we 
must rest, Paul says, " If any would not 
work, neither should he eat." 2 Thess. iii. 
10. " If any provide not for his own, and 
especially for his own house, (or kindred,) 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 7 

he hath denied the faith, and is worse than 
an infidel." 1 Tim. v. 8. 

2. Slothfulness is condemned. " Be not 
slothful in business." Rom. xii. 11. " Thou 
wicked and slothful servant." Matt. xxv. 26. 
" Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; consider her 
ways, and be wise ; which having no guide, 
nor overseer, or ruler, provideth her meat in 
summer, and gathereth her food in harvest." 
Prov. xx. 13. 

3. Idleness is a great sin. " Behold this 
was the iniquity of thy sister, pride, fulness 
of bread, and abundance of idleness was 
in her." Ezek. xvi. 49. It was wrong, 
iniquitous, to be idle, though rich, full of 
bread. "Having damnation because they 
have cast off their first faith ; and withal 
they learn to be idle, wandering about from 
house to house." 1 Tim. xii. 13. A very 
severe reproof to many in these days. 



8 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

4. Wastefulness is a sin. The prodigal 
wasted his estate. This was a part of his 
sin against heaven. Luke xv. 13. " He 
that is slothful in his work, is brother to 
him that is a great waster." Prov. xviii. 9. 
Of the wicked it is said, — "Wasting and 
destruction are in their paths." Is. lix. 7. 

5. Prudence is a duty. " He that is 
surety for a stranger shall smart for it ; and 
he that hateth suretyship is sure." Prov. xi. 
15. " A good man sheweth favor, and 
lendeth ; he will guide his affairs with 
discretion." Ps. cxii. 5. 

Now if men attend to these duties, and 
they cannot neglect them without sin, they 
will, as the general result, become rich. 
God has said so. " He becometh poor 
that dealeth with a slack hand ; but the 
hand of the diligent maketh rich." Prov. 
x. 4. " The hand of the diligent shall bear 



BOOK OF WEALTH. \f 

rule , but the slothful shall be under tribute." 
Prov. xii. 24. "The soul of the diligent 
shall be made fat." Prov. xiii. 4. 

6. God has promised riches as rewards. 
" Blessed is the man that fears the Lord, 
that greatly delighteth in his commands ; — 
riches and wealth shall be in his house." 
Ps. cxii. 1, 12. " Abraham was made very 
rich in cattle, and silver, and gold." Gen, 
xiii. 2. Jacob was also very rich, Gen. xlvi. 
God gave wealth to Solomon as a reward, 
2 Chron.i. 12. He also blessed Job, after his 
severe afflictions, with astonishing wealth ; 
Job xiii. 12. 

Now would God have given these rules, 
and required obedience to them ; would he 
have made these promises and fulfilled them, 
so that it is almost impossible for men to 
do their duty without P being rich, if it was 
a sin to be so? If then, it be not a sin, 



10 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

if riches are blessings, it is not wrong to 
desire, to acquire, nor to enjoy them. It is 
not affirmed that this desire may not be 
carried to a sinful length. It often is. But 
in itself, it certainly is a duty. Nor is it 
said, that providential circumstances may 
not make men poor ; and that all poor 
men are disobedient to God. But, in the 
general, poverty is a sin; and it always 
is so, when it results from idleness, waste- 
fulness, want of discretion, and of prudence 
in the management of our affairs. 

Before proceeding with this subject, it is 
desirable to notice, and to remove some 
erroneous views, which are entertained by 
some excellent men on the duty of alms- 
giving ; and, on the enjoyment of the things 
of this life. 

I. The Gospel does not require of us, 
as the general rule, to give aiuay all that 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 11 

we have, to benevolent institutions. There 
are duties of a social, domestic and private 
nature which require the possession of the 
means, in order that they may be performed. 
1 . We must be " lovers of hospitality" 
Titus i. 8. " Given to hospitality." Rom. 
xii. 13. "Using hospitality one towards 
another without grudging." 1 Peter iv. 9. 
We must love to be given to hospitality, 
without grudging the expense, the time, the 
labor, or the inconvenience, which may be 
necessary to the discharge of this duty. 
What a pity that some men are too busy 
ever to attend to this subject. They are 
so deeply engaged in their own affairs, that 
they have not the time, although possessed 
of ample means, to obey God ! When God 
gives the ability, he demands the services. 
We have no right to put it out of our 
power, either by too much generosity, or 



12 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

too much business, to be hospitable. How 
can we be hospitable, if we give all we 
have away? 

2. It is a duty to contribute to the 
necessities of the saints. " I have showed 
you, how that so laboring, ye ought to 
support the weak ; and to remember the 
words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, 
It is more blessed to give than to receive." 
Acts xx. 34. Romans xii. 13. " Remember 
the poor." Gal. ii. 10. " Ye have the poor 
always with you." Matt. xxvi. 11. These 
duties must be performed, and belong pe- 
culiarly to the rich. " Charge them that be 
rich, that they do good, that they be rich 
in good works, ready to distribute, willing 
to communicate." 1 Tim. vi. 17. These 
are gospel duties, and must be loved by every 
christian. They, therefore, are in duty bound 
honestly to endeavor to obtain the means of 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 13 

performing them. And, having obtained 
them, they have no right to give them all 
away, and thus put it out of their power 
to fulfil one grand design of the gospel of 
love. 

3. It is the duty of all men to provide 
for their families, so as to leave them 
independent. " If any provide not for his 
own, and especially for those of his own 
house, (or kindred,) he hath denied the 
faith, and is worse than an infidel." 1 
Tim. v. 8. From the whole scope of this 
passage, it is evident that men cannot, 
without sin, willingly leave their families 
dependent on the charities of the church. 
But that they are bound to diminish rather 
than to increase the miseries of the world. 
We must provide for our own families, not 
only for their present wants, but future 
support. Of course, we have no right to 
2 



14 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

give away to others, or to other objects? 
that which is necessary for the support of 
our families. When providential circum- 
stances, over which we have no control, 
make us poor, and leave us and our families 
dependent, we must accept with thankfulness, 
the provisions made for us, by the gospel. 
But it is not our duty willingly to place 
ourselves or our families in such a state, 
or to put it out of our power to prevent our 
relatives from being similarly situated. This 
is the general principle. There may be 
exceptions to it. 

4. It is a duty to aid in every good work. 
" And God is able to make all grace abound 
toward you ; that ye, always having all 
sufficiency in all things, may abound to 
every good work." 2 Cor. ix. 8. "Put 
them in mind to be ready to every good 
work." Titus iii. 1. A man has not done 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 15 

his duty, who gives all that he has away, 
or who confines his charities to one object. 
See Col. i. 10 ; Heb. xiii. 21 ; &c. 

It is evident from the foregoing statements, 
that the gospel does not justify voluntary 
poverty, either from idleness, a morbid sen- 
sibility, nor a mistaken generosity. There 
is a beautiful harmony in all the christian 
duties. And when we learn and practice 
them, not in the pursuit of highly excited 
feelings, or of favorite objects, but in the 
light of soberness and of truth, they are 
most lovely and delightful. There is reason 
to fear that injury has been done to the flow 
of religious and of generous feelings by 
the partial views which some have given 
on this subject. Men have been urged to 
give more than their duty required. When 
the excitement has subsided, anything but 
pleasure attends their efforts to redeem their 



16 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

pledge. A re-action takes place, and they 
lose all confidence in the belief that charity 
confers happiness. The truth never would 
do this. But be this as it may, we cannot 
enjoy the approbation of God, unless we 
obey him in every duty. And when from 
any cause, which we could prevent, we are 
unable to do our duty, we sin. 

The general rule by which our giving is 
to be regulated, is ; " Every man shall give 
as he is able, according to the blessing of 
the Lord thy God, which he hath given 
thee." Deut. xvi. 10, 17. " Upon the first 
day of the week, (the Christian Sabbath,) 
let every one of you lay by him in store, 
as God hath prospered him." 1 Cor. xvi. 2. 
On the Sabbath, religious charity is holy, 
a part of the service of God. Let those 
who complain of its being attended to in 
the church, and on the Sabbath day, look 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 17 

to it; every one of you. No man is 
excused. "For I mean not that other 
men be eased, and you be burdened." 2 
Cor. viii. 13. There is no doubt, but that 
, obedience to this rule would furnish all that 
is required for gospel charity, and still leave 
enough in the hands of men to perform 
every other duty, and to enjoy every lawful 
pleasure. It has been correctly remarked, 
" The amount contributed to benevolent 
objects seems to be great. But when it is 
divided among those who ought to give, it 
is wonderful, how they made the change." 

It may, however, sometimes be a duty, to 
give all that we have away. And whenever 
this is the case, we cannot hope to be saved, 
unless we are willing to do it. When God's 
glory requires it, all must be given up, or we 
incur his sore displeasure. 

There never has yet been a man, under 
2* 



18 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

proper convictions, who did not feel that if 
he owned the universe, he would freely give 
it to any one, who would deliver him from 
the burden of his guilt. And the soul made 
happy by redeeming love, always finds 
among its first and sweetest emotions, a 
longing to give himself, and all that he 
has, is, or can be, to Jesus, to be his, his 
only, and his forever. Such an uniformity? 
of exercise, can be traced only to the 
operations of the Holy Spirit. But the 
Spirit sanctifies' only through the truths 
the word of God. We naturally turn to 
the Bible to ascertain whether this willing- 
ness is required. We find it is. — " He 
that loveth father or mother more than me, 
is not worthy of me : , and he that loveth 
son or daughter more than me, is not 
worthy of me." Matt. x. 37. "If any 
man will come after me, and hate not his 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 19 

father and mother, and wife, and children, 
and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own 
life also, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 
xiv. 26. The terms love and hate are 
used here comparatively. The state of 
mind required, is, not that we may not 
really love our friends, this we must do ; 
nor that we must really hate them, this we 
must not do ; but we must hold them as 
nothing, when compared with our devotion 
to Jesus ; and must willingly give them up 
whenever duty demands, or when they in- 
terfere with our duty. In connection with 
this requisition must be considered the pro- 
mise : — " Every one that hath forsaken 
houses, or brethren or sisters, or fathers or 
mothers, or wife or children, or lands for my 
name's sake, shall receive an hundred fold, 
and shall inherit everlasting life." Matt. 
xix. 29. Now this exercise of mind, this 



20 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

requirement, and this promise, would never 
have existed, if sometimes, it might not be 
required of us to sacrifice our all for God. 
And we find that such has actually been 
the case. It may be so again. Christ's 
disciples forsook every thing to follow him. 
Matthew gave up his office. Peter, and 
others, forsook their nets and ships. The 
man who owned the ass and her colt, and 
he who was in possession of the large 
upper rooms, ready furnished for his own 
use, at the Passover, without a murmur, 
straightway resigned them, when Jesus 
had need of them. The early christians 
took joyfully the spoiling of their goods. 
They counted not their own lives dear 
unto them. And in the first age of the 
church, when the situation and the necessi- 
ties of Christ's family required it, " as many 
as were possessed of lands, or houses, sold 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 21 

them, and brought the price of the things 
that were sold, and laid them down at the 
Apostles' feet ; and distribution was made 
unto every man according as he had need.' 
Acts iv. 34. " And they that believed were 
together, and had all things in common, 
and sold their possessions and goods, and 
parted to all men, as every man had need." 
Acts ii. 44. 

Thus we see, most clearly, that we may 
be called upon to part from all ; that we 
must be willing to do it ; and we cannot 
be christians unless we are. 

But the general rule, is, as before stated : 
every man must give, habitually, in propor- 
tion as God has prospered him. The 
amount he has to give, and the objects to 
which he gives, the amount he withholds, 
and the objects he refuses to aid, are ques- 
tions which he must settle for the judgment 



22 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

to come. God will determine on the demerit 
of his giving or withholding. He has said, 
" He which soweth sparingly, shall reap also 
sparingly ; and he which soweth bountifully, 
shall reap also bountifully. Every man 
according as he purposes in his heart, so 
let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity: 
for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 
ix. 6. 

II. There is no Scriptural rule, as 
to the amount of capital a man may 
employ, nor of property that he may 
himself possess, or of the quota he may 
leave to his children, as their inheritance. 
These things must be determined by every 
man for himself. He who has business 
talents, capital, credit, and activity, has no 
right to retire from business, nor to curtail 
his capital, so as to hinder the success of 
his operations. Every talent must be im- 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 23 

proved. Not one must be buried. God 
expects them all to be used. And even 
for this life, every man who uses aright 
the peculiar talents God has given him, 
will find himself the happier and the better 
for it. Many a fine mechanic by nature, 
who might have been happy and useful 
with his talents turned into their proper 
channel, has led a miserable, useless life, 
as a lawyer, a physician, or clergyman. 
Let every man employ his ability as God 
has given it, and be found occupying until 
his Lord doth come, and he will be found 
doing his duty. 

How far it is best to leave large amounts 
to children, depends on circumstances of 
such various characters, that no man, in 
the absence of all scriptural rules on the 
subject, can determine the question. But 
children may inherit very large estates from 



24 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

their parents, and be very happy, respectable 
and useful. The possession of riches, in 
itself, will not ruin them, but may do them 
good. But more of this hereafter. Abraham 
left a large estate to Isaac. Isaac did the 
same to Jacob, and Jacob left his children 
wealthy. David acted the same part to 
Solomon. In the act of leaving our fortunes 
to our children there is no sin. Scriptural 
example is in its favor. 

III. The gospel does not forbid that we 
should use what are called the luxuries 
of life. Some seem to think that we have 
no right to use any more than is necessary 
to the satisfying of the wants of nature;, 
and that all beyond this, is sin. It cannot 
be denied but that it is much more usual 
for men to go beyond their liberty, than to 
come short of it, on this subject. And the 
probability is, that indulgence and excess 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 25 

will continue to be more frequent, and cer- 
tainly are more dangerous, than self-denial. 
But the truth should be our guide in all 
things. The Apostle says: "Make no 
provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts 
thereof." Rom. xiii. 14. " Mortify therefore 
your members which are upon the earth, 
fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, 
evil concupisence, and covetuousness which 
is idolatry ; for which things' sake the wrath 
of God cometh upon the children of dis- 
obedience." Col. iii. 5. It is evident that 
this last passage explains what is meant by 
provision for the lust of the flesh : it forbids 
the sinful gratification of unholy propensities. 
But by no means proves that we have not a 
right to use the good things, the luxuries of 
life. 

The scriptural rules are : — 

1. " Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or 
3 



26 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 
1 Cor. x. 31. 

2. " Let not him that eateth, despise him 
that eateth not ; and let not him which eateth 
not, judge him that eateth." Rom. xiv. 3. 

3. " Let us not therefore judge one another 
any more; but judge this rather, that no 
man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion 
to fall in his brother's way." Rom. xiv. 13. 

4. " It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to 
drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy 
brother stumbleth, or i3 offended, or is made 
weak." Rom. xiv. 21. 

From the principles contained in these 
rules, it is evident that God's glory, the good 
of our fellow men, our influence over others, 
and a respect to the weaknesses of those 
for whom Christ died, must control our 
conduct in all things. And that, when 
without injury to others we can, from proper 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 27 

motives, enjoy the luxuries of life, there is 
no sin in doing so. Let every man be fully 
persuaded in his own mind. God is judge 
himself. He judges righteously. Happy is 
that man who condemneth not himself in 
that which he allows. 

A reference to scripture examples may 
further illustrate these rules. Levi made a 
great feast in his house, and Jesus was 
among the guests. Luke v. 29. "When 
thou makest a feast, call the poor," &c. 
Luke xiv. 13. " And there was a marriage 
at Cana of Galilee ; and both Jesus and his 
disciples were called." Jesus made the best 
wine that was used on the occasion. John 
ii. 1 — 8. Now these passages prove that 
we may feast ourselves, and invite our friends 
to unite with us ; yet God's glory must not 
be neglected. Call the poor; do not do it 
from ostentation, nor from hope of earthly 



28 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

remuneration, nor for the lust of the flesh. 
Jesus would not have permitted his friends 
to act in violation of these rules. 

Let us refer to a few other scriptural exam- 
ples. 

Job was a very wealthy man. He lived 
in splendor. His houses, and those of his 
sons, were the abode of plenty and of 
hospitality. Yet Job kept his heart in the 
fear of God. " And his sons went and 
feasted in their houses, every one his day ; 
and sent and called their three sisters, to 
eat and to drink with them. And it was 
so that when the days of their feasting 
was gone about, that Job sent and sanctified 
his sons, and rose up early in the morning 
and offered burnt offering, according to the 
numbers of them all ; for Job said ' It may 
be that my sons have sinned, and cursed 
God in their hearts.' This did Job contin- 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 29 

ually." Job i. 1 — 5. A man with such a 
heart would seldom find his table a curse 
unto him. 

We hear Paul exclaiming-, " I know, and 
am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there 
is nothing unclean of itself." Rom. xiv. 14. 
Yet he says, " All things are lawful for me, 
but all things are not expedient." 1 Cor. 
vi. 12. "Let no man seek his own, but 
every man another's profit : even as I please 
all men in all things, not seeking my own 
profit, but the profit of many, that they may 
be saved." 1 Cor. x. 23 — 33. "Where- 
fore, if meat make my brother to offend, I 
will eat no flesh while the world standeth, 
lest I make my brother to offend." 1 Cor. 
viii. 13. " It is good, neither to eat flesh, 
nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby 
thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is 
made weak." Rom. xiv. 21. Upon the 
3* 



30 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

right observance of these principles depends 
the whole matter. 

In reference to the question, "Have 
Christians a right to build costly houses, 
and to procure and use the furniture and 
equipage which accord with such establish- 
ments, the Bible rule is plain. " Is it time 
for you, O ye, to dwell in ceiled houses, and 
this house (the house of God,) to lie waste ?" 
Haggai i. 4. David's case furnishes a strik- 
ing illustration of this subject. His anxiety 
to build a house for God was so great, that 
he refused to go into his own bed, until he 
had found a habitation for the Lord. He 
laid up immense treasure, for this purpose, 
not only from the public revenue, but also 
from his own private resources. Yet he 
dwelt in a cedar house ; and provided for the 
building of a most splendid palace for his 
son. And according to his direction, " which 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 31 

was by the Spirit of God," Solomon built, 
first, a most splendid, costly temple for God ; 
and then, a house for himself, seldom excelled 
for its cost, taste, and splendor. 

The rule seems to be this : — let every 
thing necessary for the promotion of the 
kingdom of God, be furnished in a liberal^ 
generous manner. Let there be no offering 
of the lame, the torn, the blind, the useless, 
to our God. But supply most bountifully, 
abundantly, cheerfully, whatever is needed. 
Make the kingdom of God our first object. 
"Seek first the kingdom of God." This 
being done, according to God's own promise, 
we may lawfully enjoy the abundance he 
will give us, in such ways as may be most 
pleasing to ourselves, under the restrictions 
already referred to. The whole language of 
scripture, and the examples recorded in it, 
are very far from condemning splendid 



32 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

establishments. But to possess them, we 
must not let the Lord's work go undone ; we 
must not permit them to become our excuses 
for refusing to attend, to the extent that is 
required, to the wants of the church, and the 
demands of the gospel. 

It is not affirmed that it is right to be 
conformed to this world in the spirit of our 
minds. Neither is it denied that there is 
not too much of this conformity in the 
church. It is a crying sin ; and one which 
calls for deep repentance, and speedy reform- 
ation. Zion would not remain in desolation, 
if her professed and wealthy friends took half 
as much pleasure in her dust and stones, as 
they do in their own aggrandizement. The 
position taken, is, simply this : — It is per- 
fectly consistent for christians, who do their 
duty in supporting the gospel, to enjoy 
themselves in the comforts of life, regulating 



BOOK OF WEALTH* 33 

these comforts by their own taste of elegance 
and convenience. " Godliness hath the pro- 
mise of the life that now is, and of that 
which is to come." 1 Tim. iv. 8. u Seek 
ye first the kingdom of God and his right- 
eousness and all these things shall be added 
unto you." Matt. vi. 33. Our first, great 
aim must be to promote God's righteousness : 
so to use the means and instruments he has 
appointed to make himself known in the 
world, that all shall know that he is a faithful 
God. This done, we have God's promise of 
such an abundance of worldly goods, that 
we shall scarcely know what to do with 
them. 

This position is fully sustained by a 
reference to the Scriptures. There was a 
great scarcity among the Jews. They fool- 
ishly, and wickedly, made the hardness of 
the times an excuse for withholding the 



34 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

customary and necessary religious offerings. 
As though the religious interests did not feel 
the hardness of the times as well as others ! 
Their conduct, in this respect was called, 
" Robbery of God." They refused to con- 
tribute to the Lord, because the times were 
hard. God said, "Bring ye all the tithes 
into the store house, that there may be meat 
in mine house, and prove me, now herewith, 
saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open 
you the windows of heaven, and pour you 
out a blessing, that there shall not be room 
enough to receive it." Malachi iii. 10. " Ye 
shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my 
sanctuary : I am the Lord. If ye walk in 
my statutes, and keep my commandments 
and do them ; then will I give you rain, and 
the land shall yield her increase, and the 
trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And 
your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 35 

and the vintage unto the sowing time ; and 
ye shall eat your bread unto the full. And 
ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the 
old, because of the new." Leviticus xxvi. 
2 — 10. These are God's promises. If we 
obey him, and contribute what is requisite 
for the building up of his church, and for the 
extension of his kingdom, and the making 
known of his righteousness, he will give us 
an abundance, a very large store; which 
we may employ for our own gratification. 
We may cultivate all the senses, and delight 
them with music, and painting, arid statuary, 
and jewels, and food ; nay, in any way, in 
which we do not cause others to offend. 
For certainly there is no sin in the cultivation 
of the fine arts, in indulging a correct taste, 
and in aiding and contributing to all that 
can beautify and adorn this world. God 
has made the earth for us. Let us not 



36 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

abuse nor pervert it. Only let us do our 
duty, and we may as innocently enjoy the 
eool, and the flowers of Eden's bowers, as 
man did before he sinned. We must not 
let the Lord's work go undone. God and 
our country first. Then God will bless us, 
and we may use the surplus for ourselves. 

The Bible, which alone is able to make 
us wise unto eternal life, not only teaches, 
that it is the duty of all men to be diligent, 
economical, and prudent, in providing riches i 
and that wealth may be lawfully enjoyed, 
so as to promote our present and eternal 
happiness. But it also teaches that there 
are some great dangers in being rich. And 
in mercy has pointed out in what they 
consist. As it 'is necessary, in order to be 
happy, that we know and avoid whatever 
may endanger our felicity, let us, before we 
proceed, examine this part of the subject. 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 



37 



There is much danger in being rich. 
" They that will be rich fall into temptation 
and a snare, and into many hurtful lusts, 
which drown men in destruction and perdi- 
tion." 1 Tim. vi. 9. Many men in their 
anxiety to become wealthy, or to avoid a 
failure, or to conceal their true standing in 
business, or to retain their property, do things 
which are most hateful in the sight of God 
and of man. Yet they justify themselves in 
such acts. And, by silent consent, the doers 
of such things are permitted to pass unrebu- 
ked : although their conduct cannot be sus- 
tained by any code of morality worthy of the 
name. The reception of such by the world, 
and by men of business, is often calculated to 
lull them into a fatal security. They are 
spoken of with respect, treated with confi- 
dence, trusted and credited, as though they 
were not robbers and liars ! Nor can it be de- 
4 



36 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

nied, that it is too commonly the case to treat 
a rich man, however ungodly, or sensual his 
life may be, with marked attentions of respect : 
while, for much less offences, the poor man is 
marked with disgrace, and treated with con- 
tempt and scorn. Thus the rich man is en- 
couraged to indulge in those lusts which war 
against the soul, and to persevere in those 
courses which end in perdition. It is also 
true, that many, who were moral and upright 
when poor, have become just the reverse, on 
a change of circumstances. Whose observa- 
tion does not confirm these statements ? Be 
this as it may, God declares that there is 
danger in being rich, in many other passages 
of the Bible. A rich man shall hardly enter 
into heaven. " It is easier for a camel to go 
through the eye of a needle, than for a rich 
man to enter into the kingdom of God." 
Matt. xix. 24. God would not have made 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 39 

these declarations if they were not true. And 
he has told us in what the danger consists. 

1. " How hard it is for them that trust in 
riches to enter into the kingdom of God" 
Mark x. 21. " Trust not in uncertain 
riches." 1 Tim. vi. 7. The case of the 
rich man, Luke xvi. 22., seems to have been 
of this kind. " Son, remember that thou in 
thy life time receivedst thy good things — but 
now thou art tormented." He fared sump- 
tuously every day ; had no want that was not 
gratified ; was successful in business ; praised 
and flattered, courted, consulted, yielded to, 
looked up to by a large circle of friends, ac- 
quaintances and dependants. He thought 
he was happy. His pride, ambition, sensual 
appetites and desires, received no check ; 
while the crumbs which fell from his table, 
divided daily between his dogs and a beggar, 
was sufficient to procure for him the reputa- 



40 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

tion of a most benevolent man ! He did not 
reflect that a change would come. He trust- 
ed to his riches for his happiness. Are there 
not many now who look for no other happi- 
ness, than that which the pursuit and the 
possession of wealth affords ; who have never 
yet known any pleasure worth comparing 
with that, which is found in the counting 
room, on 'change, or on their farms ? There 
are. These are trusting to riches for their 
happiness. Business furnishes an excuse for 
being absent from their families almost con- 
stantly ; for neglecting the reading of the 
Bible ; for hurrying over the evening and the 
morning sacrifice of prayer and praise ; nay, 
for omitting them altogether. I pray thee 
have me excused, is the constant reply they 
make to friends, and conscience, and God 
and truth, whenever a little of their time 
and attention is asked for the momentous 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 41 

concerns of their souls! And why? Be- 
cause, their pleasure and happiness are found 
only in riches. Independent of the world 
themselves, they forget that they are de- 
pendent on God. Full and increased in 
goods, having need of nothing, they forget 
that they may need a drop of water to cool 
their parched tongues in eternity. Yet they 
think themselves happy. And often speak 
as though their duty in being kind parents, 
upright citizens, and punctual customers, 
with an occasional casting of the crumbs and 
fragments of their abundance to dogs and 
beggars, will entitle them to a seat in hea- 
ven ! How it must grate upon the ears of 
such, amidst all their cries of anguish, to hear, 
" Son, remember, thou in thy life-time re- 
ceivedst thy good things." 

2. The love of money is the root of all 
evil : which while some coveted after, they 
4* 



42 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

have erred from the faith, and pierced them- 
selves thro' with many sorrows." 1 Tim. vi. 
10. " Love not the world, neither the things 
that are in the world. If any man love the 
world, the love of the Father is not in him." 
1 John ii. 15. The term love^ in the above 
connexion, means an improper preference. 
This is a lovely world. Its fields and flowers 
and fountains and fruits, its beauties and its 
comforts, adapted to the wants and pleasures 
of those who dwell upon it, prove it to be the 
gift of a kind parent to his offspring. He 
does not require us to hate it ; and would be 
angry with us for so doing, in the usual sig- 
nification of that word. We are only requi- 
red not to prefer its pursuits and pleasures, to 
the duties of religion. When we take a 
greater pleasure in the leger and journal, or 
newspaper, or tales of fiction, or in the affairs 
of this world, than we do in our secret places 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 43 

of prayer, our Bible, and the church of the 
living God, we love the world sinfully. When 
we find it easy to forget our God, in the 
world, but difficult to banish the world and 
its cares when we approach our God : when 
we have neither time nor inclination, con- 
scientiously, cheerfully, joyfully, to lay down 
the world, and take up religion ; nay, when 
we do not habitually let religion stamp its 
impress and exert its influence, guiding and 
controlling every desire, motive and action, 
we sin in loving the world. Then we may 
fear that the love of the Father is not in us. 
If we are not deterred, from a fear of spiritual 
loss, from waiting on the world ; yet will 
suffer the fear of temporal loss to prevent our 
serving God : if we are unwilling to make a 
sacrifice of worldly interests for a heavenly 
benefit, clinging to the world, and letting go 
the cross: then we love the world. The 



44 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

young man who came to Jesus, Luke xviii. 
28., was of this number. Had he not have 
loved the world, he joyfully would have ex- 
changed his all for heavenly treasure. But 
he went away sorrowful, when he heard that 
his sincerity must be tested, by giving all 
he had to the poor, and poor and dependent 
himself, follow him, who had not where to 
lay his head. There are many, who like 
him, are sorry that they cannot serve two 
masters. And when the choice is to be made 
between God and mammon, they do not 
hesitate a moment in their selection. They 
cling to mammon, because from it, and 
it alone they receive, or expect, all the happi- 
ness they have ever known or desired. 

Here it may be inquired, i Is not a great 
deal of the complaint which is uttered against 
what is sometimes called, money preaching, 
caused by too great a love of the world V 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 45 

There is not a doubt of it. Whenever men 
are urged frequently to give, and to give li- 
berally; when they are called upon to test 
their sincerity, by dedicating themselves, and 
their substance to God, if there should be any 
seriousness among the people, how loud and 
bitter is the cry against the minister who 
does it ! Yet Jesus did it. This young man 
was much in earnest; came running, and 
kneeling to Jesus, desiring to know what he 
must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus preach- 
ed money to him : " Go sell all that thou 
hast, and give to the poor." What a pity, 
say such complainants, what a pity ! See 
the young man's serious impressions are all 
gone. O, what a pity, how wrong ! We 
came to get our hearts warmed, to feel good ; 
and just as we began to get into a pleasant 
frame, and could answer to the questions put 
to the young man, as he did, "All these 



46 BOOK OP HEALTH, 

things have we done;" this preacher has 
damped our ardour, cooled our zeal, put out 
our fire, hushed our song, and sent us home 
displeased, by telling us our duty, and offer- 
ing us the privilege of doing it now ! Had 
they have been invited to do a thing they 
loved, would they have complained? 

3. Riches are dangerous, in hardening 
the hearts of men. Pharoah's heart was 
hardened, because he was unwilling to let go 
his riches, in the property and persons of the 
Israelites. In many things, it is probable, 
he had a kind heart. Moses was treat- 
ed as a son in his court. But riches hardened 
his heart against God. Nebuchadnezzar's 
heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened 
in pride, by the wealth and power of his 
kingdom and majesty. And so was his 
grandson, Belshazzar. Yet their hearts were 
kind to others. But against God they hard- 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 47 

ened themselves. When poor, Nebuchad- 
nezzar humbled himself and obeyed God. 
Pharoah and Belshazzar found no place for 
repentance. They perished as their riches 
left them. 

The danger of riches hardening the heart 
is very great : for a desire to be rich leads, 

4. To " CovetousnesSj which is idola- 
try" Col. iii. 5. a most heinous sin. Those 
who are bent on the acquisition of wealth, 
are in very imminent danger of committing 
this sin. That which occupies much of our 
time, thoughts, and attention, and at the 
same time affords us real or imaginary plea- 
sure, will be loved much more, than those 
things which we may acknowledge to be 
better, but which do not receive so much of 
our care, nor afford us so much present gra- 
tification. Covetousness is called idolatry, 
for this very reason. The covetous man 



48 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

gives to the world that place in his affections 
which belongs to God. Nothing delights 
him so much as the gain of this world ; 
nothing distresses him like its loss. Eter- 
nity with its vast, its glorious realities, sink 
into nothing, afford no pleasure, receive no 
attention, when compared with the one, 
grand, absorbing interest which has taken 
possession of his heart. The laws of God 
are made to yield to the interpretation of a 
carnal heart, when it becomes necessary for 
the accomplishment of his purposes : or, they 
are trampled upon, despised and rejected, 
when they will not yield to his views. God 
is not delighted in, but, as holy God, is hated. 
And when this is the case, we may expect 
to find a dreadful character. Micah (ii. 2.) 
describes such, as, " Devising iniquity on 
their bed, (their hours of sleep are devoted 
in scheming plans of speculations and over- 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 49 

reaching,) and in the morning they practice 
it, if (because) it is in the power of their 
hands." James speaks of them as " Op- 
pressors and blasphemers." James ii. 6. Job 
says, " That such cannot feel quietness. A 
fire not blown shall consume him — and ca- 
lamities are in reserve for his children." Job 
xx. 20. Now these things are true. The 
inordinate desire for wealth leads to gamb- 
ling, lying, thieving, murdering. It is 
covetousness which leads to the tricks of the 
usurer to evade the laws of his God and 
country. It is this that justifies those pos- 
sessed of experience and information in re- 
alizing thousands at a dash, by taking 
advantage of the inexperienced, the ignorant, 
and the unfortunate. It is this that builds 
the bulwarks of hell, the theatre and the 
brothel, the lottery and other gambling 
houses. It is this that constructs and sus- 



50 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

tains the steam powers of darkness, the dis- 
tillery, the brewery, the manufactory and 
sales of spurious, adulterated and poisonous 
intoxicating drinks, of every name and kind. 
It is not a hatred to mankind, nor a delight 
in their miseries, seen and known to result 
from these tricks and trades. No : it is love 
of money, covetousness, which thus drives 
away the thoughts of responsibility, of God, 
and of judgment. It is this same covetous- 
ness which makes men opposed to every 
attempt to benefit mankind, by bringing the 
truth to tt bear against such practices. It is 
not because men hate their fellow men, that 
they oppose every or any moral reform, 
which, to succeed, takes away the profit of 
the shrine makers. No: it is covetousness. 
They do not trouble their thoughts about 
others. " We are not our brother's keeper :" 
" Let them see to it." — " What will I gain 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 51 

by it ? These are their sole reflections and 
theology. It is this that makes them indif- 
ferent to, or bitter against those, who, with the 
truth on their side, and love to God and love 
to man in their souls, lift up their voice and 
show the people their sins. There is most 
striking illustration of this position in the con- 
duct of the Gadarenes, Luke viii. 31. " The 
whole country round about besought Jesus 
to depart out of their coasts." What had 
he done ? He had had compassion upon a 
poor demoniac, into whom a legion of devils 
had entered. He cast out the devils into a 
herd of swine, and restored the man to hap- 
piness and to his family. Were these Gada- 
renes unwilling that others, unfortunate and 
wretched, should be cured and blessed ? Pro- 
bably not. They did not think about the 
man that was cured. They owed him no 
ill, nor did they wish him any. Why then did 



52 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

they ask Jesus to depart ? See that herd of 
swine, into which the devils entered, rushing 
into the lake — they are destroyed. This 
tells the whole secret of the desire that Jesus 
should depart out of their coasts. They 
feared that the only way in which the pos- 
sessed could be cured, would lead to the 
destruction of their hogs. And rather than 
lose their property, they preferred that the 
devils should stay and torment those into 
whom they had entered. When once this 
sin has taken possession of the heart, it con- 
tinues to make riches dangerous: 

5. By affording opportunities and facili- 
ties of sinful, sensual^ enjoyment. When 
riches are sought for and used for this object, 
they become dangerous in the extreme. All 
excessive sensual indulgences come under 
the description which that unrivelled poet, 
Robert Burns, gives of one such sin : 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 53 

I wave the quantum of the sin, 
The hazard of concealing: 

But oh, it hardens all within, 
And petrifies the feeling. 

None are doomed, in this world, to a greater 
excess of suffering and wretchedness, than 
those wealthy persons, who seek, in the ex- 
cess of pomp, luxury, ostentation and fashion- 
able amusements and etiquette, and sensual 
gratification, that pure pleasure, which can 
be fo«nd in the temperate and simple enjoy- 
ment of moderated desires. The most awful 
instances of human depravity, as well as the 
most hardened and hopeless cases of human 
wretchedness, may be found among the rich 
sensualists. And, in most of instances, the 
hardness of heart, necessary to the accom- 
plishment of the cruelties and crimes which 
are perpetrated by such persons, has been 
acquired in the pursuit of pleasure. The 



54 BOOK OF WEALTH, 

cruel murder of John the Baptist shows this. 
Herod had heard John gladly. And neither 
he, nor Herodias, would ever have been ca- 
pable of having John beheaded, had not 
their hearts been hardened into covetousness 
by sensuality. They had tried the lawful 
pleasures of life, until they were weary of 
them. Yet they were not happy and con- 
tented. They had never sought for pleasure 
in the ennobling, elevating enjoyment of a 
holy Being. The love of God was not in 
them ; and his fear was put from them. 
Their hearts and their treasures were earthly. 
All on earth must be tried. Their rank 
and wealth gave them flatterers, and they 
heeded not the censures of those who the 
world despised. The light was banished, 
truth stifled, and conscience hushed. Gra- 
dually, insensibly, they removed every .bar- 
rier, broke through every restraint, laughed 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 55 

at every virtue, indulged in every vice ; until 
their hearts acknowledged no rule but their 
own lusts, and sought for no object but their 
own gratification. Covetousness, like an 
idol, was served, until the head of John was 
brought by the daughter of sensuality, amidst 
the pleasures of a dance, to a sensual mother, 
seated by the side of a sensual monster ! 

There are thousands now hasting to the 
judgment, as well as thousands who have 
already met their doom, with sins of deepest 
dye, who never were sensible of the dia- 
bolical motives which really prompted them 
to these deeds. Pleasure, or profit, was their 
only aim. Riches furnished the means of 
gratification ; that which was lawful was 
of too slow operation, or palled upon the 
taste ; curiosity, a desire for emotion, a 
burning thirst for happiness, led them to 
mirth and song, and flowing bowl, to the 



56 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

false sympathies of the theatre, to the fatal 
excitement of games of chance, and to other 
polluted and vicious sources of pleasure, until 
the conscience becomes seared, the judgment 
biassed ; and they committed deeds which 
filled heaven with astonishment, earth with 
blood, and hell with groans. Before sensu- 
ality had hardened their hearts, they would 
have shuddered at the contemplation of 
deeds, which they now commit without 
reflection, and forget, to give place to acts 
more dark and dreadful. 

Sometimes the pleasure of the rich man 
takes a different course. He loves riches 
for their own sake. Then his covetousness 
makes him a miser : 

" Whom none can love, whom none can thank, 
Creation's blot, creation's blank." 

Is there no danger that this will ruin and 
destroy ! A miser happy ! 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 57 

But the sensualist and the miser did not 
intend, at the commencement of their career, 
to be what they are. They were capable of 
examining and understanding the truth. 
Their wandering so far from it, shows ano- 
ther danger of riches : 

6. " The cares of this world, and the de- 
ceitfulness of riches choke the word." Matt, 
xiii. 22. We have cases of this recorded in 
Luke ix. 59 — 61. Jesus commanded a 
young man to follow him. This, at that 
time, consisted in literally forsaking all, and 
going with Jesus. He did not refuse to 
obey. He intended to do it. But see the 
deceitful influence of riches. He began to 
think of home, and of friends. And he 
thought he had a good excuse for disobedi- 
ence, for the present : " Lord, suffer me first 
to go and bury my father." Jesus replied : 
u Let the dead bury their dead." 



58 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

Another man, who seemed to have been 
listening to this conversation, was convinced 
that it was his duty to follow Jesus : he vol- 
unteered to do so : " Lord, I will follow thee ; 
but let me first go bid them farewell at 
home." Jesus replied : " No man having 
put his hand to the plough, and looking 
back, is fit for the kingdom." He was not 
cruel, nor unfeeling in refusing to comply 
with the requests of these young men, but 
acted from principles of deepest wisdom and 
compassion. He knew how it would be, 
when again the softness and delicacy, the 
pleasures and allurements of domestic bliss 
entwined around their hearts. The word 
would be choked. Even now, w T hen under 
the strong impressions of the truth, they 
began to make excuse. What would be 
the result, when away from it, and pressed 
by the remonstrances of dear friends, and 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 59 

the comforts and sympathies of home? 
They would return no more to walk with 
him. 

Many like these, hear the truth ; become 
convinced of their duty and intend to obey 
it. Do it now, is the command. Lord we 
will, but suffer us first, is the reply. Proba- 
bly none, but the most hardened, ever hear 
the truth preached in simplicity and in love, 
without intending to repent. Afflictions, be- 
reavements, sickness, threatening death, often 
compel the dying mortal to think of heaven 
and eternity. He intends to repent, believe, 
obey, to save his soul. But how soon are 
all impressions gone. The duties and en- 
gagements of the world plead as \ good ex- 
cuses for procrastination. The cares of the 
world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke 
the word. Numerous engagements, heavy 
claims, perplexing transactions, pressing 



60 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

calls, promising prospects of gain, advance- 
ment, or of pleasure, urge on the reply : 
Lord suffer me first. And the world is not 
gained, and the soul is lost ! Is it not so ? 

There are so many improper motives and 
views influencing many on the subject of 
riches, that they seem determined, at all 
hazards, to obtain them. And when lawful 
means are too slow, dishonest measures, 
promising a more speedy attainment of their 
end, are used. Hence another danger con- 
nected with riches : 

7. The acquiring wealth in wrong ways. 
" The silver and the gold belong to God." 
Hag. ii. 8. Of course, God has a right to 
say how they shall be acquired. And in 
the exercise of this right he has forbid all 
unjust, dishonest, unfair means, to be used. 
" He that oppresses the poor to increase his 
riches shall come to want." Pro v. xxii. 16. 



BOOK OP WEALTH- 61 

" He that getteth riches, and not by right, 
shall leave them in the midst of his days, 
and at his end shall be a fool." Jer. xvii. 11. 
He that will carefully examine into the 
history of man, will find these threats often 
executed before the fourth generation passes 
away. Honesty is the best policy. And 
God and man abhors the unjust, the knavish 
and the rogueish, the swindler and the op- 
pressor. As God has determined to punish 
all iniquity, he certainly will not suffer that 
which is committed through covetousness to 
escape his sore displeasure. " Go to now ye 
rich men, weep and howl for your miseries 
that shall come upon you. Behold the hire 
of the laborers who have reaped down your 
fields, which is by you kept back by fraud, 
crieth, and the cries of them which have 
reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord 
of Saboath." James v. 1 — 4. It was not 
6 



62 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

for being rich, but for withholding that 
which was just and equal from the laborers, 
which excited the anger of God. His anger 
is excited by all fraud and dishonesty. 

But men may acquire wealth in a proper 
manner, and yet find riches the source of 
danger from, 

8. the improper use of them. " Go to 
now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your 
miseries that shall come upon you. Your 
riches are corrupted and your garments are 
moth eaten. Your gold and your silver is 
cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a 
witness against you, and shall eat your flesh 
as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasures 
together for the last days. James v. 1 — 3. 

Your riches are corrupted. Riches con- 
sist, sometimes, in the fruits of the earth. 
" The ground of a certain rich man brought 
forth plentifully. And he thought within 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 63 

himself, saying, What shall I do, because I 
have no room where to bestow my fruits. 
And he said, This will I do: I will pull 
down my barns, and I will build greater ; 
and there will I bestow my fruits and my 
goods. And I will say unto my soul, Soul, 
thou hast much goods laid up for many 
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be 
merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, 
this night thy soul shall be required of thee : 
then whose shall those things be which thou 
hast provided?" Luke xii. 16. Why was 
he called a fool? Not for being rich. A 
wise man guides his affairs with discretion. 
Not, because his lands yielded abundantly : 
this was God's work, not his. And God, 
who gave the earth to man, requires him to 
cultivate it skilfully, and then it will pro- 
duce abundantly. One reason why he was 
called a fool, was, he did not know what to 



64 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

do with his superabundance. He thought 
within himself, what shall I do? And he 
came to the very foolish conclusion, that he 
would treasure it up, and use it all himself: 
eat, drink, and be merry. Probably he in- 
tended to retire from business : take thine 
ease. A very foolish and wicked conclu- 
sion. As though God had made it his duty 
to live only for himself; and having secured 
enough for his own wants and indulgences, 
he could bury all his talents, and live es- 
tranged from the duty of aiding others. 

Job was a very rich man. Compare his 
conduct with that of this rich fool. Job is 
seen hurrying from one abode of sorrow to 
another, cheering and blessing; chasing 
away grief, introducing joy, wherever he 
goes. He feeds the hungry, clothes the na- 
ked, causes the widow's heart to sing for joy ; 
and, amidst the blessings of those ready to 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 65 

perish, he shows that he knew what to do 
with his riches. He would not suffer them 
to spoil. This rich fool only thinks of him- 
self. He remembers not his obligations to 
express his gratitude to God, by doing good 
to his creatures. He had no joy but that 
which was centered in self. His duty to 
God, to suffering humanity, is forgotten. 
He desired to use all he had himself. This 
he could not do. For his fruits could not 
be preserved many years. They would 
mould and corrupt. But he did not live 
long enough for this. He died, and left his 
all to those he knew not. 

Your garments are moth-eaten. Wealth 
formerly consisted, in part, of splendid, costly 
garments. They were kept in wardrobes, 
only for pomp and display. They did no 
good, clothed no naked. The moth devoured 
them. It was a waste of means. God did 
6* 



66 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

not give them to be wasted. Dorcas did not 
weep because her garments were moth-eaten. 
The widows and orphans stood weeping 
around her corpse, and showed the gar- 
ments she had made, not for the moth, but 
for them. Acts ix. 39. While the rich fool 
is weeping and howling forever for his folly, 
Dorcas is, no doubt, rejoicing in his presence, 
who has declared, " Pure religion and unde- 
filed before God and the Father is this, to 
visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic- 
tions, and to keep himself unspotted from the 
world." Have we not many things which 
we will never use, which will never do us 
any good, but which would be very valuable 
and comfortable to others ? Shall they cor- 
rupt, or be moth-eaten, and we escape 
sorrow ! 

Your silver and your gold is cankered. 
They had put their money away in boxes, 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 67 

and there it remained, doing no good. 
Thousands were perishing; many benevo- 
lent institutions were languishing; those 
who were willing and anxious to support 
them, fainting, discouraged under the heavy- 
burden of sustaining them alone ; much good 
was neglected. All these evils might have 
been prevented, if their money had been 
employed aright. Could it all have been 
converted into lead, or dust, or stone, without 
their knowledge, they would have been just 
as benevolent, and useful and comfortable as 
they were before. Will there be no weep- 
ing among such unprofitable servants, when 
their Lord shall come to take an account of 
their stewardship ? It will not do to say, we 
laid it up for old age: for this is another 
cause of the sorrow and misery of such men* 
The rust of them shall be a witness 
against you, and shall eat your flesh us 



68 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

it were fire. How is this ? Let us see. Ask 
such a man to aid in an object he believes to 
be worthy of his patronage, and acknow- 
ledges to bee his duty to support. He gives 
a small sum, and regrets exceedingly that it 
out of his power to do any thing more. He 
has done all that he can. Another approves 
of the object : but really there are so many 
calls for money, he cannot give any more. 
A third, has no idea of ruining his family. 
He had just as well be fleeced out of all he 
has, at once, as to be so constantly sheared. 
In justice to his family and to his creditors, 
he must refuse. Now, if all of these excuses 
are true, if they have done all they can, and 
giving any more will ruin their families, or 
their estates, they are excusable. God has 
not seen fit to entrust them with any thing 
more to use for his glory. But if their silver 
and gold is cankering, it will appear that 



BOOK OPWEALTH. 69 

they have borne false testimony of God's 
dealings with them. And thus the rust of 
their riches will be a witness against them. 
Ask for fifty dollars. What, fifty dollars ! I 
cannot possibly spare so much. A horse 
worth three times the amount, shortly after, 
dies. Another, at a high price, is purchased 
without inconvenience ! Another refuses to 
give a thousand, on account of the injustice 
it w T ould be to his children. He has been 
toiling for a long time to leave them a com- 
fortable portion ; and now he feels satisfied 
that they have enough. Not long after, 
several of his children die. Will he now 
give the thousand ? No : the portions of the 
dead are divided among the living, who 
already had enough. And the same reason, 
of injustice to his children, is urged for refu- 
sing ! Others, who forget " that shedding 
time comes as well as shearing time," are as- 



70 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

tonished at the frequency and largeness of 
the demands made upon them. What ! do 
you wish us to give hundreds, or thousnnds 
of dollars ! We cannot. It would ruin us. * 
A freshet, a frost, a storm, a failure or bank- 
ruptcy, a fire, or some other dispensation, 
sweeps away, in an hour, three times the 
amount solicited. Are they ruined ! Is their 
credit at bank injured? Do their families 
suffer? Are they deprived of any comfort 
or luxury ? No ; credit is good, business 
proceeds, there is no alteration in domestic 
affairs, except it be, that the destroyed house 
and furniture are replaced by others more 
costly and splendid. In a short time the 
loss is scarcely felt. At the very time they 
were making the excuse, that they were 
unable to give, they would have felt slan- 
dered by a report, that the loss of a few 
thousand would have impeded their business, 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 71 

affected their credit, or diminished the com- 
forts of their families. And why ? Because 
even then they had, and knew they had, 
more, much more, than they were willing 
to acknowledge, and were saying, Soul, thou 
hast much goods in store. Ought not the 
burning blush of shame to consume the flesh 
as it were fire, of those who bear false wit- 
ness against a benevolent and generous 
God ? And are pleading inability to do their 
duty, while they are expending on their lusts, 
or heaping up for the last days, that which 
God gave to be used in generous deeds? 
Such may escape for a while ; but testimony 
will be given by the rust of their riches here- 
after, that will make them weep and howl. 
The fire of December 17th, 1835, in the 
city of New- York, consumed more than 
$17,000,000. Yet it is a remarkable fact, 
alike showing the energy of the people, and 



72 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

the abundant mercy of God, up to this date, 
(March, 1836,) there have been no failures 
among the merchants. The buildings are 
to be replaced in splendid style : and busi- 
ness and profits, and comforts and luxuries 
still abound. Suppose these merchants had 
been called upon to give just one million of 
dollars to the Bible Society ? Would they 
not honestly have pronounced a compliance 
with the demand as ruinous, as it was un- 
reasonable. Yet the loss of millions did not 
ruin them ! 

Ye have heaped up treasure for the 
last days. Already you have more than 
you can usefully and judiciously expend, if 
you w r ere to live for many more years to 
come than is usual. But you have lived to 
within a few days of your end, and still are 
heaping up treasure, as though the work was 
just commenced. Or, with every facility of 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 73 

doing a profitable business, you have retired 
from your vocation, and are now living as 
drones, upon those means which God gave 
to be otherwise employed. See the profes- 
sions, that are sometimes made, of sympathy 
to the destitute. Fragment Societies issue 
their appeals for the shivering naked poor. 
They have done all they can. And is it so ? 
No : their friends expend in useless folly more 
than one hundred thousand dollars. Have 
they done all they can ? Do they plead fash- 
ion ? Who sets it ? They themselves. We 
are not speaking of the propriety or impro- 
priety of fashion. But of excuses which will 
be utterly vain in the judgment, and which, 
of course, are not good now. In the previous 
part of this essay, the subject of the luxuries 
of life, &c., has been spoken of, and there is 
no danger of being misunderstood. These 
cases are brought forward not to condemn a 
7 



74 BOOK OF WEALTH, 

thing which in itself may be of but little mo- 
ment, but to show that we often mistake selfish- 
ness for real inability ; and console ourselves 
that we have done our duty, and would do 
more if we could, when, in fact, most con- 
demning testimony awaits us, in the useless 
profusion of our expenditures, and unneces- 
sary hoarding of our possessions, which will 
show to the world, and to angels, that God is 
not an austere master, reaping where he has 
not sowed, and gathering where he has not 
strewed. But that we bring our miseries 
upon ourselves, and make that a curse, which 
he intended should be a blessing. 

Having stated the dangers of riches, it re- 
mains to finish the proof, that it is a duty to 
be rich ; and that with them we may be 
made happier, both in time and in eternity, 
than without them. 

Let none suppose that riches in themselves 



BOOK OF WEALTH, 75 

can make us happy. The scriptures teach 
no such doctrine. " If riches increase, set not 
your heart upon them." Ps. lxii. 10. " Let 
not the rich man glory in his riches." Jer. 
ix. 23. " When goods increase, they are 
increased that eat them, and what good is 
there to the owners thereof, saving the behold- 
ing of them with their eyes." Eccl. v. 11. 
Indeed all reflecting men know, that, apart 
from the pleasure of business and activity, 
riches rather diminish than increase the ac- 
tual enjoyments of life. Yet let none con- 
clude that riches are not valuable, nor shrink 
from the responsibility of doing their duty. 
We are always safe when following the line 
pointed out by Him, who orders all things for 
his own glory. Obey him in all things ; and 
he will give a crown of glory. 

The charities of the gospel require 
much money. 



76 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

1. God could have committed the ministry 
of reconciliation to angels. Gladly would 
they have flown, on untiring wings of love, 
long before this, throughout the whole world, 
singing, not only the natal song of Glory to 
God, and bliss to man, but proclaiming, The 
Way, the Truth and the Life, to every crea- 
ture. But they are not to have this honor. 
It is committed to men, for whom Jesus 
died. Worms of the dust are to make known, 
to their fellow-worms, the unsearchable riches 
of a crucified Redeemer. The living minis- 
ter, of flesh and blood, must Go and preach 
the Gospel to every creature. God has so or- 
dained it. Yet he knew their frames, and 
has been mindful of their wants. While he 
has divided the land among the eleven tribes, 
he reserved himself for the heritage of love ; 
and the Lord is their portion. In his sov- 
reignty he has ordained, That those, to 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 77 

whom he has given in trust the riches 
of the world, shall provide for the comfort 
and support of his ministers. It is true, he 
could have caused the ravens to feed them, 
as he did one of his servants. He could 
have rained manna from heaven, as he did 
for the Israelites. He could have caused one 
cruse of oil to increase, as he did for the 
widow; or have multiplied the loaves and 
fishes, as he did for the seven thousand* He 
could have supported them without human 
instrumentality. But he has otherwise de- 
termined. He has ordained, " That those 
who preach the gospel shall live of the gos- 
pel." 1 Cor. ix. 14. " Thou shalt not 
muzzle the mouth of the ox, that treadeth 
out the corn." 1 Tim. v. 18. Let any man 
read the whole of 1 Cor. ix., and the parable 
texts, and he will see, that it is not by favor, 
charity or courtesy of men, that ministers are 
7* 



78 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

entitled to their support. Those who give 
themselves up to the whole work of the 
ministry, and devote their whole time to it, 
as ministers are in duty bound to do, have 
God's warrant on the churches for their sup- 
port. And those who refuse to honor it, will 
find no apology to render for their disobe- 
dience, when God shall enter into judgment 
with them. No man who has it in his 
power, can neglect to contribute to the com- 
fortable support of the ministry, without sin. 
Nor has this duty been performed when we 
have supported our own ministers. We are 
bound to aid weak churches, and to send the 
gospel to all. We must follow the example 
of Christ. He came to seek and save the 
lost. We must seek out the destitute ; and 
send the gospel to those, who, if it do not 
reach the in until they ask for it, will never 
receive it at all. The one million of minis- 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 79 

ters, (and their families) now required to 
preach the gospel to every creature, cannot 
be supported without money. How can the 
kingdom of God come, unless men acquire 
the means of supporting it ? , 

But the preacher must command those to 
whom he preaches, To search the scriptures. 
The Bible must be published in every lan- 
guage, and circulated in every isle and na- 
tion. God could cause every leaf in the 
forest to bear a page of heavenly truth. He 
could make the zephyrs speak of the Lamb 
of God, and even the storm to utter sounds 
of mercy, and of salvation, for wretched dy- 
ing man. He could so arrange it, that the 
firmament on high should proclaim, not 
only, The hand that made us is divine : but 
on the scroll of the heavens, in letters of suns 
and stars, he could have stereotyped his pre- 
cious Bible; and have made every nation 



80 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

read and understand its language. But he 
has not done it. A Book, requiring human 
labor to print and bind it, must be circulated 
by human beings, who, when working for 
the chureh, must be supported by the church. 
How can the one hundred millions of Bibles, 
required by the families on earth, be furnish- 
ed, unless christians provide the means ? 

Before that blessed day shall come, when 
the light of salvation shall be universal, 
knowledge of heavenly truth must run to and 
fro. Much is needed beside the preacher 
and the Bible. True, these are first, most 
important. Whatever else is neglected, these 
cannot be, without destruction to the hopes 
of the world. But still religious tracts and 
books, works of sound philosophy, both 
moral and physical, must be circulated ; and 
schools must be established and supported, 
before the time shall come, when neighbor 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 81 

need no longer teach his neighbor, nor bro- 
ther his brother, saying, Know the Lord : 
but when all shall know him, from the great- 
est unto the least. Human beings must do 
the whole. Money is absolutely necessary 
for the work. And those who pray, Thy 
kingdom come : must provide the means re- 
quired for its coming. 

Thus it has been shown that the private 
and domestic duties of individuals, and the 
interests of the Redeemer's kingdom, make it 
the duty of men to acquire riches. It re- 
mains to be shown, how wealth can make 
us happy. 

The charity of the gospel is one half of it ; 
just as love to man, is, one half of the Moral 
Law. It cannot be accounted for, why the 
duty of charity occupies such a prominent 
place in the gospel, unless christian benevo- 
lence be intimately connected with the best 



82 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

interests of man. And so it is. And God 
has called to no duty for which he has not 
provided grace, that will enable us to perform 
it. Where he might have commanded with 
stern authority, he has allured us to our duty 
by love and mercy and precious promises. 
Prov. xxviii. 27. " He that giveth to the 
poor shall not lack." Prov. xix. 17. " He 
that hath pity on the poor lendeth to the 
Lord, and that which he hath given, he will 
repay again." " Prov. xi. 25. " The liberal 
soul shall be made fat. And he that water- 
eth shall himself be watered." These are 
God's own words : they are literally true, 
and will be fulfilled. If it were proper in a 
work like this, it would be profitable, as well 
as interesting to give a register of God's acts 
on this subject. Frane's " Footsteps of a 
Divine Providence" should be read by all. 
And if those, who have obeyed the divine 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 83 

command, and trusted to the promises, would 
observe and report the divine faithfulness, 
no doubt a mass of evidence could be pre- 
sented on this subject, which would convince 
the most sceptical, that the word of the Lord 
is, yea and amen forever. One instance 
must, however, be mentioned. During the 
summer of 1835, two christians at Saratoga 
Springs, were conversing on this subject. 
One thought that it had been his duty to 
make himself poor for conscience sake. He 
had done it. He also thought that it again 
had been his duty so to act, for a reason, that 
if he died at that time, his family would 
have been left dependant. God had spared 
his life. And he now, after making the sa- 
crifice required, was convinced that he was 
no loser, in a temporal view ; but, if any 
thing, a gainer. At least, his family were 
as well provided for, as those who had acted 



84 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

differently. The other thought that such 
conduct was wrong — that it was tempting of 
providence. He alluded to Payson. "Have 
you more faith than he had ?" No. " He act- 
ed on your principles, and his family are now 
in very dependant and unpleasant circumstan- 
ces." Facts are stubborn things. Yet the 
first could not believe that God had forsaken 
the family of the righteous. He resolved to 
make inquiry into the matter : and his inten- 
tion was, if it were true, to endeavor to do 
something for this family of the pious man. 
What was his delight, when, the very first 
person of whom he inquired, showed him a 
paper, in which it was stated, that Mrs. P. 
had just received a present cf $10,000 ! God 
had taken an honest man, who had, by mis- 
fortune become a bankrupt. He had pros- 
pered him in his business ; enabled him to 
pay all his debts, and put it into his heart to 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 85 

give the widow and children of his servant 
$10,000. How loudly Payson must have 
sung of the faithfulness of God, when, among 
saints and angels, he thus saw the Lord's 
word redeemed ! God is faithful. What if 
some did not believe? " Shall their unbelief 
make the faithfulness of God without effect ? 
By no means ; yea, let God be true, but every 
man a liar ; as it is written, That thou 
mightest be justified in thy sayings, and 
mightest overcome when thou art judged." 
Rom. iii. 3, 4. God says, it is his saying, 
" Give and it shall be given unto you." Luke 
vi. 38. " Whosoever shall give to drink unto 
one of these little ones a cup of cold water 
only in the name of a disciple, verily I say 
unto you, he shall in no wise lose his re- 
ward." Matt. x. 42. We may* talk of not 
having faith. But this does not change the 
8 



86 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

truth of God. 1 John v. 10. " He that be- 
lieveth not God, hath made him a liar." 

Now, we have it in our power to prove the 
faithfulness of God, by complying with his 
demands, giving of our substance, relying on 
his promise and trusting to his word. How 
happy that man must be, who thus holds a 
seal, as it were, by which he may constantly 
know that there is no danger in doing hie 
duty ! It is in this way, in part, that our 
riches may make us happy. 

Misers are not happy. They are always 
dreading want and suffering. They fear 
that they have not enough to permit them to 
supply the necessities, much less the comforts 
of life. Could they be induced to part from 
a portion of their hoard, they would be reliev- 
ed from this fear. For they would see, that 
they had enough and to spare, still remaining 
to do them abundant good. Christians suf- 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 87 

fer somewhat from the same source. They 
do not always feel that the Lord has dealt 
bountifully with them. They speak of hard 
times, and scanty allowance, and dread to 
indulge themselves in the necessaries of re- 
ligion. They let institutions, absolutely ne- 
cessary for their good be neglected ; live 
without a house of worship, a minister, a 
good school, a newspaper, good books ; and 
dare not indulge in the exquisite bliss of 
christian luxury, that of lending to God, and 
for Jesus' sake, honoring the Lord with their 
substance. Now God can, and sometimes 
does, take away by his providence, much that 
they have, and still they do not come to 
want : still they see that there is enough left 
to keep them comfortable. Yet, (unless it 
be found in submission to the divine will) 
there is no happiness conferred on the heart 
by these calamities. How much happier 



88 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

the christian would have felt, if instead of 
beholding his riches taking wings and flying 
away, he had sent them on the wings of love 
to heaven ! It is just this happiness, this 
lovely testimony and proof of God's abundant 
dealings with us, w T hich is afforded by the 
charity of the gospel. In this way riches 
may make us happy. 

It matters not how much wealth we may 
have : until we feel a confidence in God, to 
do our duty, we cannot be happy. It is 
sweet to receive our daily bread, day by day, 
from the untiring hand of God's love, even 
though there be not a crumb left. This 
pleasure is derived from a confidence in God's 
faithfulness. But it is sweeter to find that 
by doing good to others, God does not suffer 
our own interests to be injured, but that they 
are the rather improved thereby. It is true, 
that there may seem to be in this, somethi ng 



BOOK OP WEALTH, 89 

contrary to the wisdom of man. But the 
wisdom of man is foolishness with God. 
Prov. xiii. 7. " There is that maketh him- 
self rich, yet hath nothing : there is that 
maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches." 
Prov. xi. 24. " There is that that scattereth, 
and yet increases : There is that that with- 
holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to 
poverty." Now, amidst the anxieties which 
disturb our peace, it is good to know that 
we may do our duty, and in doing it, are 
pursuing the surest way to become and re- 
main happy and wealthy. Without this 
knowledge, the uncertainty of all things tem- 
poral must be a great barrier to our happi- 
ness. But to have proved the sure word of 
God, must make us happy. How strange 
that men do not more frequently use their 
riches, from a proper desire of trying and of 
confirming God's word ! 
8* 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 

Most men desire riches for their children. 
Yet they know that it often happens, before 
the parent is cold in the grave, the peace and 
happiness of the family is destroyed by jea- 
lousies and contentions, for that very wealth, 
which he intended should make them hap- 
py. Nor is this strange. The parent, all 
his life-time, had been laboring either for 
the profit, or the pleasures of the world. 
His children followed his example ; and be- 
came, either worldly minded, miserly, or 
lovers of pleasure, selfish, idle and dissipated. 
Either state of mind, or habit, is unfriendly 
to domestic peace and lenity. And, too often, 
they lead to an entire forgetfulness of God. 
Was not this the reason why the rich man 
desired that Lazarus might be sent to warn 
his hrethren ? He knew that they were 
living in pleasure — and forgetting God and 
their souls : following the example he had 



BOOK OF WEALTH, 91 

set them ! The charities of the gospel would 
prevent all these miseries. The children be- 
hold their parent economical, industrious, 
and successful. At the same time he is de- 
lighting in acts of liberal benevolence, de- 
signing and executing liberal things, to do 
God service. He is prosperous in all that 
he undertakes : or cheerful, happy, in his 
confidence that God will take care of him 
and his, as long as he will do his duty, in 
any change of circumstances. Is it not 
probable that these children will have right 
ideas of riches, and desire them, and labor 
for them, not for what they are in them- 
selves ; but because they will enable them 
to serve God, and to do good, and to be bless- 
ed themselves in blessing others? With such 
views, is there much likelihood of domestic 
quarrels about their father's fortune? Does 
not gospel charity then, even for time, offer 



92 BOOK OP WEALTH, 

the best prospect for the happiness of our 
families ? But the view does not stop here. 
How different the feelings of two parents 
may be in eternity, about their children I 
One lived only for the world. He seldom 
gave, even from vanity or pride, or for the 
sake of flattery, or popularity. He seldom^ 
if ever, gave to God, for Christ's sake. His : 
gifts were to get rid of importunities. His 
constant language, in the hearing of hisr 
children, was, charity should always begin at 
home. His conduct was, that it should never 
go abroad. He took no pleasure in works of 
benevolence. He lived only for himself. His 
children follow his example; and hasten 
with him to ths judgment. His and their 
possessions are burned up by the fire of the 
last day. Not a vestige of the good they 
done, not one lovely memento of their tru^ 
charity is to be found ! 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 93 

The other has lived for others. He has 
taught his children, that there was some- 
thing more congenial to an immortal soul, 
than the love, or the possession of money. 
He rejoiced in opportunities of doing good. 
Christian charity was to him a luxury. He 
rejoiced in it. He set his children an exam- 
ple of pure and high-toned benevolence. He 
lived before them, and for them, for nobler 
ends than simply to be called rich. He died. 
His children follow his example. And at 
the close of life, amidst the tears and bless- 
ings of those whom they blessed, they go to 
receive the plaudet, Well done good and 
faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of 
thy Lord. They enter into eternal life, still 
to find their joy and bliss in loving the Lord 
their God with all their heart, and their 
neighbor as themselves. Thus, for time and 
for eternity, we see how riches, rightly used, 



94 BOOK O F W E A L T H. 

may make us happy : and how the gospel 
provides the way for their doing it. 

Men are considered happy and honorable 
according to the nature of the enterprises in 
which they are engaged. No man could 
reasonably expect to be happy, and respect- 
ed by the wise and virtuous, who spends 
his life in the pursuit of toys and straws and 
baubles. High and lofty deeds do exert a 
happy influence on us, not only in securing 
the confidence of the virtuous, but also in the 
consciousness of their dignity, and the effects 
which accompany them. Now what earthly 
pursuit, ranks above toys, and straws and 
baubles, when compared with the subject of 
gospel benevolence? A lost world recovered. 
A mourning world turned into joy. A dead 
world quickened into eternal life. A ruined 
world restored to the confidence of God* 
Millions brought under the elevating influ- 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 95 

ences of proper political and religious princi- 
ples ; plucked from Hell, raised to Heaven ! 
Gospel charity calls to this work. And those 
who engage in it, certainly will find it doing 
them great good, making them very happy. 
As soon might we expect the man, who, 
from real love to man and virtue, has spent 
the day, " In scattering blessings round him 
like a shower of gold," to return to his home, 
discontented, with a heart relishing mean 
and sordid pleasures ; as that the man, who, 
with the spirit of Christ, has spent his life in 
the work of salvation, should not " be changed 
into the image of God, from glory to glory, 
■even as by the spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. iii. 
18. He, then, who is engaged in these no- 
ble works, shall shine forever, just in propor- 
tion to his ability and faithfulness. Have 
not the rich much greater opportunities than 
the poor, to cultivate their minds, to enlarge 



96 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

their powers of doing good, and to devise and 
execute great things for God ? Thus, wealth 
and riches may become instrumental in in- 
creasing the everlasting weight of glory of 
those, who possess them. But the gospel, 
in its enterprises, is the only plan which pre- 
sents these advantages. 

The happiness of men is promoted by as- 
sociating in their enterprises, and in being 
connected, with honorable and noble men, 
in glorious works. We do derive a benefit 
from the society of the virtuous, the refined, 
the elegant, the cultivated and the generous. 
Companions in arms with Washington, wor- 
thy of his confidence. The friend, the asso- 
ciate of Washington, in the glorious work of 
Independence ! We all understand this, 
We reverence the memory of the pure pa- 
triot, and in honoring Washington, we honor 
those also, who like him, toiled and suffered 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 97 

for the glory of the Republic. " Washington's 
fellow-soldier" is a passport to our hearts. The 
gospel calls upon us to be co-workers with 
God. There is not an angel who does not 
fly with joy to minister to the heirs of sal- 
vation, even though it be to a Lazarus. 
They do it, because it is an honor to be 
employed by their Lord in any way. But 
man has a higher honor. When the New 
Jerusalem, with its pearly gates, and golden 
streets, and heavenly towers, shall be fin- 
ished : when that temple not made with 
hands, but with living, spiritual stones shall 
be completed, every one, who, from right 
motives, has labored with God, shall be an heir 
of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ, 
and shall partake with him that sits upon 
the throne, of all the declarative honor which 
results from the glorious plan of salvation. 
What a privilage to be rich ! And how 
9 



98 BOOK OF WEALTH, 

much it is to be regretted, that many rich 
men prefer being co-workers with the ene- 
mies of righteousness, who, with their works, 
must meet with everlasting forgetfulness and 
contempt ! 

Men cannot be happy in this world until 
they come to have the charity of the gospel. 
They must feel it to be a great privilege, 
and a pleasant duty to be called upon as 
co-workers in every good work, or they will 
find it exceedingly difficult to be happy- 
There are so many things to be done, re- 
quiring so much money and time, that 
nothing but a warm hearted love for them 
can enable us to endure, with patience and 
comfort, the applications which will be made 
to us to aid them. The Missionary enter- 
prise ! Must we give it up, and thus disobey 
the last command of our Lord ? The Bible 
Society ! Must we blot out this light of the 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 99 

world ? The Tract Society, the Education 
Cause — Sabbath Schools — Temperance So- 
cieties — the Seaman's Cause — and many 
other works by which man is blessed, and 
God is honored ; shall we suffer them to 
languish and expire ? No ! Then they 
shall not. Their claims shall be laid before 
you. The earth shall be roused to its duty. 
Now, if it distresses you, is unpleasant, disa- 
greeable to be asked to give, to give fre- 
quently, to give largely of your time, and 
money ; to take a deep and lively interest 
in these things ; where can you go to be 
happy in your riches ? No where on earth, 
where the gospel blesses man. No where 
in heaven : for all who love God rejoice in 
works of love. Hell is the only place where 
works of benevolence are not loved, and 
where you will not be required nor expected 
to take a joyful interest in them. 



100 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

It cannot be very long before those now 
living, will cease to move upon the earth. 
As we brought nothing with us into the 
world, so it is certain that we shall take 
nothing out of it. All earthly possessions re- 
main only for a little season : then they, 
with the earth itself, shall be dissolved with 
fire. Good deeds alone can live and abide 
to give us joy, forever. Thus you are com 
manded. to Make unto yourselves friends of 
the Mammon of unrighteousness ; that when 
ye fail, they may receive you into ever- 
lasting habitations. When flesh and heart 
shall fail, it will be a matter of but little per- 
sonal moment, whether we died rich or poor. 
The possessions that we called our own, 
will be ours no more. Whatever can be 
done with them to make us happy, must be 
done while they are ours. Happiness for 
immortal beings must be as permanent as 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 101 

immortality. So far as the mortal is con- 
cerned the beggar is as well off for the past 
day, as the opulent, For the present time, 
he who has food and raiment, has all that 
any can enjoy. For the future, to-morrow 
may not come. But eternity will come. 
And unless there come with it, those joys 
that fade not, springing up fresh and fair 
from seed sown in time, the immortal cannot 
be happy. 

Realize, for a moment, that event which, 
we hope, awaits us. Rev. xiv. 13. "I heard 
a voice from heaven, saying, Blessed are the 
dead who die in the Lord from henceforth : 
yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from 
their labors, and their works do follow them." 
The time has come when we are judged and 
receive according to the deeds done in the 
body. Now what deeds have we done? 
What works follow us ? Are they such as 
9* 



102 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

will give joy in heaven? Are they such as 
fitted man for glory? In heaven informa- 
tion will be acquired by communication, very 
much as it is here, only with very enlarged, 
holy powers and facilities. There is joy 
among the angels of God over one sinner 
that repents. Probably because one more is 
added to the number of those, who unite 
with them in the worship of that Lord God 
Almighty whom they serve day and night. 
We hear their songs. Why that joy? A 
youth has just remembered his Creator, and 
embraced the Saviour. What ! that youth 
who was the son of ungodly parents ; reared 
in vice and ignorance, accustomed to the 
worst example, familiar with scenes of im- 
morality, without Bible, prayer, or praise, or 
gospel ! with none to care for his soul ! By 
what wonder of grace was he reached ? The 
Sabbath School, sought, and wooed, and won 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 103 

him by the gospel's love. Do you not bless 
God that you were permitted to aid in that 
glorious cause. That you had it in your 
power to sustain it ? That even now the 
plans you laid, the time and money and la- 
bor you expended, and the prayer of faith 
you offered for it, are doing good. And 
while it is blessing men on earth, it is also 
giving joy in heaven? What, if the truth 
compelled you to reply : I was seldom, if 
ever, inside a Sabbath school, I never con- 
tributed as much towards its support in my 
whole life, as I spent in one year on my car- 
nal appetites. The Sabbath school was one 
of those good things, which I left to others. 
Had none taken a deeper interest in it, than 
I did, it would never have existed, never had 
done much good. Could you be happy, 
while you knew that through your negligence 
you had deprived the angels of much joy ? 



104 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

But there is a louder and a sweeter song of 
joy among the angels. Why ? Whole na- 
tions that long sat in darkness have now re- 
ceived the light. The living minister could 
not approach there. But the Bible could. 
Curiosity opened its leaves. Or perhaps ha- 
tred to it, gave it entrance into the closet of 
the learned, that they might ridicule, expose 
and condemn it. But it proved to be unto 
them the wisdom of God, and the power of 
God unto salvation. Or, it has visited the 
prisoner in his cell ; the sailor on the sea ; 
the debauchee on his weary couch ; the 
thoughtless in their ennui ; the traveller for 
a moment on his way; and has done for 
them what no other book ever did. Made 
them know that they were lost, then led 
them to him, who came to seek and to save 
the lost. And now they are saved. What 
did you do for the Bible cause while on the 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 105 

earth? Did it rejoice your heart, that you 
had it in your power to send many volumes 
to those, who would have perished without 
the Bible. Was this too, one of those good 
things, to which you contributed less, and for 
which you did less, than for many things 
which bound the earth in a deeper curse of 
sin ? Is the Bible society in existence ? still 
blessing with its light, and supplying the 
world with the bread of life ? Had all been 
like you, would that society ever have been 
formed ; could it have done one half its 
work ? No ! Then from what labors do you 
rest ? What w T ork follows you, and, through 
grace, makes you one of the blessed dead? 
Your heart responds not, rejoices not, joins 
not in the joy of angels here : because you 
did not what you ought to have done to 
make that joy complete. Could you be 
happy ? 



106 BOOK OP WEALTH. 

But hear that, loudest, longest, sweetest 
song of all : The kingdoms of this world 
are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of 
his Christ; and he shall reign for ever. 
Seraph and Seraphim, Cherub and Cheru- 
bim, with burning praise, throw a new melo- 
dy of glory around the throne. A nation 
has been born unto God in a day. Where 1 
The Hottentot. What ! he who scarcely 
ranked above the brutes? Yes, even he 
now occupies the grade of an immortal, 
clothed in the renewed image of his God. 
See the Sandwich Islands ! What ; that 
dark land, where mothers trod their infants 
to death, crushing their living offspring under 
the clods to hush its cries forever ? Yes ; 
even these mothers may be seen, "Bringing 
their sons in their arms, and their daughters 
upon their shoulders." Is. xlix. 22. — and 
offering and dedicating themselves and their 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 107 

children to God and to his Christ. See from 
the East and the West, the North and the 
South, they are casting their idols to the 
moles and to the bats — fleeing away from 
their cruelties, ignorance, superstition and 
prejudices, and glorifying God in the gospel 
of his Son ! How has this mighty change 
been effected ? Why bend the Jew with the 
Gentile, around the cross of Christ, and join 
with angels in singing the song of Moses 
and the Lamb? The Foreign Missionary 
Society caught the spirit of Christ. God 
sent his Son, and he came to seek the lost. 
The friends of Missions sent the missionary 
on the same errand. The spirit of Christ 
accompanied them, directed their steps, bless- 
ed their labors, doing wonders. Did you 
love that Missionary cause? Suppose you 
did not. That you joined no monthly con- 
cert ; took no abiding interest in it : that you 



108 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

had made your money by traffic with the 
heathen : yet did nothing for their souls: had 
sent them rum, and vice and sin, and wicked 
ungodly seamen and agents : but never la- 
bored to do them good ? What would be the 
reflections of truth, while all but you were 
resting trorn their Missionary labors on earth, 
and were followed by their works to heaven ? 
Had there been none on earth who cared 
more for the glory of the Lamb of God 
than you did ; who felt no more for a dying 
world, and did no more with their wealth 
for its conversion ; these angel's songs would 
cease. The bloody car of Jugernaut would 
have been rolling over its victims : the fu- 
neral pile would be lighted for the living 
widow : the aged parent expiring, neglected 
and abandoned by his children : the croco- 
dile waiting to receive the unconscious babe, 
thrown, by its mother, a sacrifice to the river 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 109 

gods : the millions of China would have 
known no God : and the history of the hea- 
then been that of revolting scenes, and black- 
ening crimes; and the church of the living 
God, had only a name to live, being dead 
and powerless, as disobedient to the command, 
as it it was void of the spirit of its founder- 
Could you bear the leflection ? 

When the end of all things shall come, and 
the ransomed of the Lord shall return with 
shouting, eternity will be spent in praising 
God, and in recounting the wonders of his 
grace. Under the trees of life, in the paradise 
of God, there sits one surrounded by many 
happy souls. How they look ! how they 
love ! Why ? Because they are beholding 
the instrument which God employed to bring 
them to salvation. There stands a mother 
with her babe and her husband, rejoicing to 
see the man who saved her husband from a 
10 



110 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

drunkard's grave, and a drunkard's hell. 
Then are the parents delighted at beholding 
the face of him, through whose instrumen- 
tality their son that was dead is alive again, 
was lost and is found. All around you are 
those bright, shining spirits who have turned 
many unto righteousness, surprised, delight- 
ed, rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of 
glory, at the good which God had enabled 
and permitted them to do. Now they hasten 
to cast themselves and their crowns at his 
feet, saying : Not unto us, O Lord, not unto 
us, but to thy name give glory. The Son 
welcomes them, saying : Come ye blessed of 
my Father : and the Father pronounces, 
Well done, good and faithful servant. But 
you stand alone ; not one soul saved, not one 
to attend you to the throne ; not a joy in 
which you can partake in all this work of 
Jove! All that you can do, is, to point to 



BOOK OP WEALTH. Ill 

the work you did, and from which you rested. 
And what was it? I added field to field; 
was the wealthiest of the wealthy. I had no 
spare tune, no spare means to aid in the Re- 
deemer's cause. God had prospered me 
above measure ; yet I was afraid to lose one 
day, or a few hours of a day, from the service 
of myself. All my time and energies were 
constantly demanded for myself and family. 
I left to one son, a large fortune, and he died 
pennyless. Another lost his soul through the 
cares of the world and the deceitfulness of 
riches, which I had provided for him. My 
daughter married a drunkard, who spent her 
all. She died a beggar ! And now there 
is not one to bless my memory, nor that of 
my family ! Not, one amidst the great mul- 
titude which no man can number, who would 
not have perished, had all acted as I did. 
Could you be happy? 



112 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

But if you had given as the Lord had 
prospered you : had prayed and labored, and 
rejoiced in every work of love : had lived, 
not only for yourself, but for man and God? 
would you not be happy? What, feel that 
you were instrumental in causing the joy 
you saw around you, and not be happy ! 
Rejoiced always in being a co-worker with 
God; delighted at being called upon to give 
to the Son, that which the Father had loaned 
unto you ; never turned aside from him, 
when he wished to borrow of you ; joyful- 
ly parted from your goods, when he required 
it, even though it made you poor ; being 
satisfied that it is sufficient for the servant 
to be like his master, who for our good be- 
came poor, and had not where to lay his 
head : testing and rejoicing in the faithful- 
ness of God: and now receiving the end of 
your faith, even the salvation of your soul ; 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 113 

and witnessing the glorious result, the hap- 
py end of your toils, in the bliss around you : 
and not be happy ? It is impossible. Gos- 
pel charity provides all this joy and glory. 
Have riches any charms, without this pros- 
pect? And with it, is it not desirable to 
be rich? 

To the rich in this world are granted 
privileges which the poor cannot enjoy If 
it be the boast of the gospel, that unto the 
poor the gospel is preached, yet the rich have 
the honorable duty to support this gospel, 
that the poor may enjoy its blessings. 

The wise men, who provided for the flight 
into Egypt, of the infant Saviour, were rich. 
They brought gold and frankincense and 
myrrh. The poor could not do this, Was 
it not an honor? 

Mary, who anointed Jesus unto the day 
of his burial, was rich ; she brought a box 
10* 



114 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

of spikenard, very costly for that purpose. 
The poor could not have done it. Wherever 
the gospel is preached, it is told, to her 
honor. 

Joseph of Arimathea, who provided a rest- 
ing place for him, whom death could not 
conquer, the grave could not hold, was rich. 
When every tomb and monument shall have 
decayed, this high honor, appointed in the 
counsels of eternity unto Joseph, shall re- 
main. The poor could not enjoy that honor. 

Abraham was very rich. He entertained 
the strangers. One of them was an angel. 
Now he is in paradise, and angels are bring- 
ing his sons into his bosom, from the East 
and the West, the North and the South. 

Moses despised the riches and the honor 
of Egypt ; choosing rather to suffer affliction 
with the children of God. He appeared with 
Christ in his transfiguration. Nay more, 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 115 

his name is mentioned when the praises of 
Jesus are uttered by the heavenly songsters : 
Rev. xv. 3. " And they sing the song of 
Moses, the servant of God, and the song of 
the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous 
are thy works, Lord God, Almighty : just 
and true are thy ways, thou King of 
saints." 

Who can refrain from almost desiring 
that they had lived, and had had the op- 
portunities here mentioned, of thus getting 
great honor and glory and felicity, by hon- 
oring the Lord with their substance ! Well : 
we need not regret that our lots are cast 
in these latter days. The same honor 
which these rich and holy men have re- 
ceived, if we do our duty, shall be ours. 
Col. i. 10, 12. " That ye might walk wor- 
thy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being 
fruitful in every good work, and increasing 
10** 



116 BOOK OF WEALTH. 

in the knowledge of God ; strengthened 
with all might, according to his glorious 
power, unto all patience and long suffering 
with joy fulness ; giving thanks unto the 
Father, which has made us meet to be 
partakers of the inheritance of the saints 
in light." How is this ! how can it be ? 
Hear the Saviour's own words. Matt. xxv. 
34. " Come ye blessed of my Father, in- 
herit the kingdom prepared for you from 
the foundation of the world. For I was 
hungered — thirsty — a stranger — naked — sick 
— a prisoner — and ye ministered unto me. 
Then shall the righteous say : Lord when 
saw we thee, hungry, thirsty — a stranger, 
naked — sick, or in prison, and ministered 
unto thee. And the King shall answer and 
say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inas- 
much as ye did it unto one of the least of 
these my brethren ye have done it unto 



BOOK OF WEALTH. 117 

me." Abraham may not bear the sole 
honor of feeding angels. Let us not be 
forgetful to entertain strangers 3 unawares we 
may entertain the Saviour, in the person of 
a stranger. Moses may not have the sole 
honor of being the servant of God. Let 
us like Moses, cast in our lots with the 
people of God, and give up all wealth and 
pleasure and honor, rather than forsake the 
cross of Christ. And we like Moses, shall 
partake of the Saviour's glory. 

The wise men shall hail us as parta- 
kers of their honor, if we provide the means 
of life, and of grace, which are necessary 
for orphan and friendless infants, as they 
are passing their days in the land of ene- 
mies, to bring them to him, who hath said : 
Suffer little children to come unto me, 
and forbid them not : for of such is the 



118 ROOK OF WEALTH. 

kingdom of heaven. Mary Magdalen's 
honor shall be ours, if we anoint, w T ith the 
oil of salvation the souls condemned to die, 
and strive to become the instruments of pre- 
paring a sinful mortal for a joyful eternity. 

Let us go, and for Jesus' s ike, bury a 
poor Lazarus, and Joseph of Arimathea 
will delight to hear the Saviour assign to 
us, the honor which is his also forever. Go 
thou and do likewise : and all that your 
soul pants after, shall be yours. 

Thus it has been shown that it is a duty 
to be rich. That riches may make us hap- 
py. That God does give them for this pur- 
pose. Let each then, be found using his 
riches aright. Let all be found obeying 
the Lord. " Blessed is the man that feareth 
the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his com- 
mandments. Riches and wealth shall be in 



BOOK OP WEALTH. 119 

his house." Ps. cxii. 12. And he shall 
have great glory if he honor the Lord with 
his substance. Blessed is that servant, 
whom his Lord at his coming shall find 
thus doing. 



THE END. 



EZRA COLLIDE, 

(Successor to John P. Haven,) has lately 

Published^ 

THE PILLOW, a selection of Daily Texts 

ON A NEW PLAN, SELECTED BY THE ReV. 

Thomas P. Hunt. 

Here is a text for every night in the year. 
The plan seems to be ingeniously devised, and 
shows the wonderful fertility of the Scriptures, 
and their adaptedness to all the varieties of hu- 
man life. Boston Recorder. 

This book differs from other selections in that 
there is some regard to system and connexion of 
subjects — all the passages for the same month 
having more or less intimate relation to the same 
general topic, and so arranged as mutually to 
illustrate each other, and to deepen the impres- 
sion of the whole. Being entirely Scripture, it 
is safe, of course, and being beautifully printed, 
is rendered attractive to children. 

Christian JMirror. 



THE REDEEMER'S TEARS WEPT 
OVER LOST SOULS. A Treatise on 
Luke xix. 41, 42. with an Appendix, by 
John Howe, A. M. 

It is a recommendation of this little book quite 
sufficient to many persons, that it is from the pen 
of John Howe. Yet to those who are less con- 
versant with his writings, which, (previous to 



their republishment by John P. Haven,) have 
been inaccessible to the great mass of readers in 
our country, it may be proper to say, that the 
" Redeemer's Tears/' will not suffer in compari- 
son with " Baxter's Call to the Unconverted" or 
" Saint's Rest." It is a rich, eloquent, spiritual 
appeal, and ought to be in the hands of every 
impenitent sinner who can read the English lan- 
guage. It contains a portrait of Mr. Howe, and 
is executed in a neat style. — N, F, Evangelist. 



THE TREE AND ITS FRUITS. 

This is the title of a small volume just pub- 
lished, from the pen of Mrs. P. H. Brown. Its 
contents are as follows : The Reading Club, 
The Victim, The Infidel, The Aged Cottager — 
all of which are founded on fact. 

To one who has read the volume in question, 
nothing need be said of its merit ; to those who 
have not perused the same, it need only be said 
that, it is from the pen of Mrs. Brown, a lady who 
has dictated poetry and prose of no ordinary kind ; 
whose deep toned piety has awakened in many 
hearts glad thoughts of heaven and of God, and 
many times given impetus and strength to the 
worshippers of the Most High in the great con- 
gregation, the social circle, and the Christian in 
the more private walks of life. It is manifestly 
written by one who has strictly in view the wel- 
fare of souls, and a particular regard for the 
young, and happily combines in conception and 



expression all that is lovely in woman, and prom- 
inent in a truly benevolent heart. 

Parents should read this book. Children and 
youth indiscriminately should read it. It is well 
calculated to impress the minds of youth with the 
danger of temptation, and off throwing of paren- 
tal restraint, and is an excellent volume to put 
into the hands of all young persons about to com- 
mence life in our crowded cities and towns. It 
should also find a place in every Sabbath School 
and Juvenile Library. We hope the author will 
not withhold from the public many similar vol- 
umes, for she may rest assured their tendency is 
highly instructive and beneficial. 

Boston Recorder. 

I have just read with deep interest, and I hope 
with profit, a little book with the above title, by 
Mrs. P. H. Brown, of Monson, Mass., and just 
published by Ezra Collier, at 148 Nassau-street, 
New- York. It contains four chapters, The 
Reading Club, The Victim, The Infidel, and The 
Aged Cottager. Each chapter is a thrilling nar- 
rative of facts, written in the author's best style. 
The two firs*, show in a glowing manner, some 
of the evils to which young gentlemen and ladies 
are exposed. The third gives the history of a 
man who was once an infidel but afterwards a 
christian, as related by himself, in a stage-coach, 
on the North River. The fourth gives the early 
and latter history of a man of ninety. The rea- 
der will find it difficult to lay down the book till 



it is finished, and hard must be the heart that is 
not moved by its touching delineations. 

•TV. Y. Observer. 
These narratives bear the following titles : 
The Reading Club, The Victim, The Infidel, 
The Aged Cottager, and they expose the evils 
of dissipation, of gambling, intemperance and 
infidelity, and at the same time recommend the 
virtues opposed to these vices. They impres- 
sively expose the cheerless, ruinous consequences 
of a want of moral principle, and especially of 
faith in revealed religion, and are suited to in- 
spire the youthful mind with a honor of infidelity, 
and the poisonous fruits which grow upon this 
tree. Christian JVLirror. 



THE TWO APPRENTICES ; or the Im- 
portance of Family Religion. 

This book should be read, for it cannot be easily 
characterized. To call it a good book, would 
be speaking the truth, but this would not convey 
any idea of its specific merits. We w^ould sug- 
gest to all masters to purchase and peruse it, and 
then present it to their apprentices. 

Christian JWirror. 



THE MOTHER'S HYMN BOOK— A com- 
pilation, arranged under the heads of Family de- 
votion — seasons of peril — recovery from sickness 
- — births — dedication of children — instruction — 
maternal meetings — early piety — sickness — 
death — consolation — miscellaneous. 

Christian Mirror. 



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